Books Read

Monday, September 30, 2013

Once again, another great hop comes to a successful end! I love the Banned Books Week Hop because it brings attention to all of the fabulous books out there that we can read, if we want to. Even the ones that others have felt needed to be 'banned' or 'challenged' for some reason. I have to say that some of the best books I have read are on a banned books list.

I gave the winner of my giveaway the choice to pick one to the top ten banned books from 2012. For extra entries people could comment with the title they might pick. I am going to list the titles below with the number of people who said they would choose them. Some of the people listed more than one but that's okay. I know how hard it to choose just one book.

Lost Without You by Liz HannahExpected Publication: December 30 2013Cover Design: CoverIt! Designs

Grace Young thought she was a survivor - until the day her twin brother died, leaving her parents heartbroken and their relationship with Grace fractured beyond repair. Now all Grace wants is a chance to experience something of a normal life, before it's all too late.

Going to college hundreds of miles from home seems like the right way to embrace her new found freedom, especially after years of homeschooling, but while Grace takes to her classes naturally, it's the other side of college that she's unprepared for.

The parties. The friendships. The boys. Especially one Dean Michaels, the Haven University's star soccer player. Fate throws the pair together, and their friendship starts to turn into something more. But can Grace keep the secrets of her past hidden without hurting those she's come to count on the most?

Liz Hannah is a New Adult author that calls both Scotland and Australia home. Currently studying her Bachelor of Arts at university, when she’s not busy reading or writing, Liz can be found procrastinating from her studies indulging in her Pinterest habit or watching too many TV shows. Lost Without You is her debut New Adult novel.

Friday, September 27, 2013

It was supposed to be a girls’ weekend in scenic St. George, Utah that would include shopping, trying out the local cuisine, and participating in a breast cancer fundraiser. The fact that one of the organizers of the fundraising event, a local doctor, disappeared two months ago was not supposed to be Sadie’s problem. In fact, she refuses to participate in the grassroots investigation her friend Caro, and Caro’s cousin, Tess, have put together prior to her arrival.

But then she meets the ex-wife of the missing doctor. How could she not ask a few questions . . . that lead to a few more questions . . . that lead to a small town and yet even more questions. Before she knows it, Sadie is in the middle of yet another murder investigation and trying to piece together a convoluted trail of good intentions, hidden motivations, and philanthropy turned big business.

My thoughts about Rocky Road ~~

Oh, yum, yum, yum. It was so hard reading Rocky Road without wanting to indulge in some wonderful chocolate. I just absolutely love the covers in this series!

And I love the stories too. This series (Rocky Road being #10) is such a fun and easy series to drop in on. I have to admit that I have not read all of them, nor have I read them in order. True, there are some references to the past in the books but it's not enough to distract from the current story. In fact, it makes me want to go back and read the ones I have missed, just so I know more about Sadie's life.

Sadie doesn't mean to be involved in solving mysteries, things just seem to fall into her life. And being the caring person she is, she has to help and find out what has happened. Sadie is a very real and likable character and I love being a part of her life. I feel like we could be great friends.

Rocky Road is another great book is a great series! I previously read Banana Split and you can read my thoughts here. And how can you not love the scrumptious recipes that are in the book?

About the author

Born and raised in Salt Lake City Utah, I met my husband in high-school--well, he wasn't my husband then, just the cute guy in weight training with the permed mullet--and we married in 1993. I wrote my first book while on bed rest with my third child and have gone on to publish 20 novels, the most recent being part of The Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series.

Fine print: Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Clicking on the book covers will take you to Goodreads for more information about the books listed below.

What are you currently reading?

Blog This by Cami Checketts

I read another one of Cami's books and I love the way she tells stories. This one grabbed me right away and I am loving it!

Walk Me Home by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Still listening to this one. I'm taking a road trip this week so I'm hoping to get through a lot of the story.

What did you recently finish reading?

Starry Night by Debbie Macomber

I love to read Christmas stories and this one by Debbie is wonderful. Let the Christmas reading commence!

Blogger Girl by Meredith Schorr

Great story! My thoughts will be posted soon.

Six Months or Less by Latifa Hazim-Rogers

Not exactly what I was expecting. Good though. My thoughts will be posted soon.

What do you think you will read next?

Audrey's Guide to Black Magic (Audrey's Guides #2) by Jody Gehrman

Okay, I'm jumping from Christmas back to Halloween. I read book #1 Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft last year and loved my journey into the witching world. You can read more about that book and my thoughts here. I can't wait to get started on #2!

Saturday, September 21, 2013

I want to give a big shout out to the hosting blogs of this awesome hop ~ Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Bookhounds. Libraries and books have been a huge part of my life for my entire life. Growing up, I was a regular at our small town library and as an adult, I have worked in libraries for over 20 years.

Banned Books Week is the national book community's annual celebration of the freedom to read. Hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events. The 2013 celebration of Banned Books Week will be held from September 22-28.

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982. For more information on Banned Books Week, click here. According to the American Library Association, there were 464 challenges reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2012, and many more go unreported.

The 10 most challenged titles of 2012 were:

Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey

Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited for age group

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Reasons: Offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age group

The Book Bag's giveaway will be any book (up to $20) from the top 10 list of challenged books from 2012. So, one of the 10 books above. This giveaway is open internationally if The Book Depository ships to you. If the challenged book is part of a series, the winner can select any one of the books in the series. The winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond or another name will be drawn.

Loving the Missing Link is a fabulous tale about love, success, hope and music. During the 1970's. Young Cheryl Simpson feels trapped in her small Missouri town. As her mother tries to help her find a way up and out, Cheryl begins to feel that it is all an impossible dream. She sees herself living a boring and dismal life for the rest of her days. Just at the moment when she is about to give up on happiness, she gets the opportunity to join her high school band. The band promises a connection with the world outside her town, but Cheryl does not see any future for herself in music. It is just a tool to get where she wants to go. However, Cheryl’s mother arranges for Cheryl to take private lessons with an accomplished musician, who helps her realize the beauty and awesome power of music.

Still, Cheryl feels that small-town inferiority and finds it too hard to believe that she could ever be anyone special out in the “real” world. On the eve of a music contest that could help her earn a music scholarship, Cheryl begins to panic. Scared and feeling alone, Cheryl runs off with her high school sweetheart and gets married, leaving the band behind.

During the next years, Cheryl and her husband make a life for themselves. Cheryl meets friends along the way who help guide her to becoming the woman she wants to be. She becomes interested in the arts again. All the while, Cheryl and husband Jerry face the challenges of homelessness, miscarriage and an extra-marital affair before an unexpected disaster brings Cheryl’s life crashing to the ground. Cheryl survives, with the help of her extraordinary friends and her life-long love for music.

About the author

Julia Asel Thomas writes stories with vivid descriptions, authentic dialogue and revealing narration. Her debut book, Loving the Missing Link, presents the engrossing and moving story of a young, small town girl who grows up, lives and loves while trying to find a balance between despair and hope.

Like the protagonist in her debut book, Loving the Missing Link, Julia Asel Thomas knows small town life. However, Julia’s experiences were quite different than Cheryl’s. Julia is the middle child of seven children and the daughter of a church organist and a business manager. Growing up in the small town of Hamilton, Missouri, Julia’s family enjoyed a reputation as a bright and interesting family. Julia thrived on the quiet and carefree life she lived in that gentle place.

When Julia was in high school, she earned a scholarship for a trip to Cali, Colombia as a foreign exchange student. The experience, although it only lasted a few brief months, had a profound influence on the rest of her life. After her time abroad, Julia realized in a very real way that, although customs may differ from culture to culture, the substance of human emotions is constant. We all need love. We all need to feel secure. We all have happy moments and sad moments. Back from Colombia, Julia become ever more interested in capturing these human emotions through music and writing.

After high school, Julia took a break before going on to college. During this time, she married her husband, Will. Will joined the Air Force, and Julia accompanied him to bases around the country, taking college classes in each town where they resided. Their two children were born in Las Vegas, Nevada, while Will was stationed at Nellis Air Force Base. Married in 1976, Julia and Will are thrilled to celebrate each new anniversary and look forward to staying together for life.

Julia began writing fiction at the age of ten, when her 5th grade teacher gave her the assignment to write about “My Worst Day.” Julia took the opportunity to concoct every possible disaster a young child could face during the course of a normal day. The teacher loved her work and asked her to read it to the class. From then on, Julia wanted nothing more than to be a writer.

In 2007, Julia began earning her living by writing articles, press releases and website content for a number of clients. As she settled into a routine of working every day on her writing, the old urge to write fiction resurfaced. In 2012, Julia started with a story she had written in 1985 and continued it to create the story in Loving the Missing Link.

After Julia’s husband, Will retired from the Air Force, they moved back to Missouri and now live in Kansas City, Missouri. Find out more about this author by visiting her online.

Wednesday September 11 @ CMash Reads
Get in on the giveaway for Loving the Missing Link and hear from Julia Asel Thomas with her guest post "Life Long Learning and Self-Education"http://cmashlovestoread.com/

Thursday, September 12 @ My Fiction Nook
Giveaway and guest post by Julia Asel Thomas today! She shares her debut work with Loving The Missing Link and speaks candidly offering insight in her guest post “Establishing a Writing Routine”.http://www.myfictionnook.com/

Friday, September 13 @ Steph the Bookworm
Don't miss your chance to win a copy of Loving the Missing Link and hear what Stephanie has to say after reading this first published work by Julia Asel Thomas.http://www.stephthebookworm.com/

Monday, September 16 @ All Things Audry
Get in on the giveaway of Loving the Missing Link and enjoy a guest post by author, Julia Asel Thomas with the fun topic of “Life Experiences in Fiction”http://allthingsaudry.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, September 18 @ Selling Books
Don't miss today's author interview with Julia Asel Thomas and find out more about her debut book Loving the Missing Link!http://www.sellingbooks.com/

Thursday, September 19 @ Thoughts in Progress
Today is your day to hear what Julia Asel Thomas has to say in her guest post about "Journal Writing to Enhance Your Fiction" and an added bonus - get in on the giveaway of Julia's new book Loving the Missing Link (#LMLThomas)!http://masoncanyon.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 20 @ The Book Bag
The Spotlight at The Book Bag is none other than Julia Asel Thomas and her New Adult Novel, Loving the Missing Link (#LMLThomas); check out this great blog stop and get in on the giveaway!http://susan-thebookbag.blogspot.com/

Monday, September 23@ Bring on Lemons
Giveaway and guest blog stop for Julia Asel Thomas, author of Loving the Missing Link - Julia visits the lemons to lemonade blog and shares her wish for music education titled: "Channeling the Spirit of Professor Harold Hill". Don't miss this stop and giveaway opportunity!http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, September 24 @ Words from the Heart
Join author, Julia Asel Thomas as she discusses "The Pros and Cons of Teen Marriage" and offers a giveaway and some insight into Loving the Missing Link. Find out more about Julia and her first published book!http://contemplativeed.blogspot.com

Wednesday, September 25 @ Words by Webb
Hear from Jodi Webb as she reviews Loving the Missing Link by Julia Asel Thomas - don't miss this great giveaway and insight!http://jodiwebb.com/

Thursday, September 26 @ I’d So Rather Be Reading
Join Julia Asel Thomas, Author of Loving the Missing Link as she blogs about "Choosing Your Words Carefully: a guide to finding the best verbs for your purpose" and don't miss this giveaway of her newly published work!http://www.idsoratherbereading.com/

Tuesday, October 1 @ Mom-E-Centric
Julia Asel Thomas, Author of Loving the Missing Link offers a giveaway opportunity and shares her insight on “Finding Realistic Hope” this is something we can all benefit from; don’t miss this tour stop!http://momecentric.com/

The gate to the sea creature realm is finally open. Rownan assumes the worst is behind him when he returns home after years of waiting to be reunited with his wife, Vienna. Only to find out that Vienna didn’t wait for him. She traveled to the evil realm of Harte years ago, hoping the legend of another gateway to Earth’s realm was real, but she was never heard from again. Rownan claimed he’d go through hell to be with Vienna, and now he must prove it.

Yara wanted to bask in the glow of her happily ever after in the magical realm of Rathe. She planned to explore Medusa and Poseidon’s world and dive deeper into her relationship with Treygan, but as the new leader of Rathe, her powers are needed to save more than one member of her own kind. Treygan vowed to always be Yara’s guardian, but long ago he also swore to go any lengths to protect his brother Rownan. Now, he must fulfill his promise to both of them.

Rownan, Yara, and Treygan are about to put their lives and souls at risk by traveling to the most dangerous realm of the worlds. Love should conquer all, but no one has ever conquered Harte.

*For those wondering why Dangerous Depths won’t be published by Rhemalda Publishing (the publisher of Tangled Tides) please see Karen’s blog post about Rhemalda going out of business: http://karenamandahooper.blogspot.com/2013/09/good-byes-arent-easy.htmlWith gratitude, respect, and well wishes for Rhemalda, Starry Sky Publishing will be taking over both books.*

Tangled Tides, book 1 of The Sea Monster Memoirs

Yara Jones doesn't believe in sea monsters-until she becomes one. When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.

Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people-until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process-or she might open the gateway to a love that's deeper than the oceans.

Giveaway Time! RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY: One winner will receive a signed paperback of Tangled Tides (1st edition, Rhemalda Publishing version) and an ebook of Dangerous Depths on its release day. Open internationally! Contest ends Monday, September 23, 2013.